By james art 
This week, Bobby Connor talks to Dr. Howard Becker about the health risks associated with alcohol use. Dr. Becker is director of the Charleston Alcohol Research Center at MUSC and a senior research fellow at Ralph Johnson Virginia Medical Center.
TRANSCRIPT:
Connor: I’m Bobby Conner for South Carolina Public Radio with a health focus here at the Medical University of South Carolina radio studio in Charleston. Drinking too much alcohol can seriously harm your health. Dr. Howard Becker is here to talk about alcohol and its health risks, and the first steps to making a plan to cut down or stop drinking. Dr. Becker is director of the Charleston Alcohol Research Center at MUSC and a senior investigator at the Ralph H. Johnson Virginia. Doctor Becker, how big a problem is heavy drinking?
Dr. Becker: Alcohol abuse is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States and, indeed, worldwide. Over 150,000 people die each year from alcohol-related causes. It is a leading cause of those requiring a liver transplant. And over the past decade, there has been particular concern about increased drinking among women and the 55 and older group in our population.
Connor: What are the health risks associated with regular or heavy alcohol consumption?
Dr. Becker: Alcohol affects all parts of the body and is actually thought to be an aggravating factor or risk factor for over 200 different diseases. It has a harmful effect on the GI system. This is the esophagus, stomach, pancreas. It is a major cause of liver disease. It has a negative impact on cardiovascular function, bones, muscles and of course it has a negative impact on brain function. The Surgeon General has just released advice on heavy drinking posing an increased risk for many different types of cancer.
Connor: What amount of drinking can lead to an increased risk of some of these problems?
Dr. Becker: It is very difficult to define a threshold of alcohol consumption. Heavy drinking is generally defined as drinking five or more drinks for men or four or more drinks for women on a daily basis. This kind of drinking can really be quite harmful in terms of your health and social interactions with your environment, friends, workplace, etc.
Connor: If someone realizes they have a drinking problem and wants to make a change to reduce or stop drinking, what is a good first step?
Dr. Becker: Seeking help is really the most important thing of all. You can find different ways to deal with this problem. You can go to primary care providers. You can go to a number of different clinics that are available throughout the state that will also help you with ways you can reduce your alcohol consumption and how it can improve your health in various ways.
Connor: Are there effective medications that can help reduce alcohol cravings or help limit alcohol use in some way?
Dr. Becker: Yes, there are indeed medications available to help those who want to reduce or maintain abstinence. There are actually three FDA-approved drugs that are available. One of them is naltrexone. There is also an extended-release injectable form of this drug, acamprosate or campral, and finally antabuse. They are effective to varying degrees and help reduce appetite or the desire to drink. In fact, our NIH-funded Alcohol Research Center at MUSC is focused on developing new drugs that can help improve the lives of those who suffer from alcohol use disorder.
Connor: Dr. Becker, thank you for this information about the health risks associated with alcohol use.
Dr. Becker: My pleasure.
Connor: From the radio studio at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, I’m Bobby Conner for South Carolina Public Radio.
Health Focus transcripts are intended to accurately represent the original audio version of the program; however, there may be some inconsistencies or inaccuracies. The audio format serves as the official recording of Health Focus programming.